I walked up the stairs and headed down the hallway. Jesse had said that we'd talk later and I could already sense his presence waiting for me in my bedroom. I stopped in front of my closed bedroom door and listened for a few seconds, just to make sure he was in there. I heard a book being set down on something, which almost confirmed my thoughts.
I grasped the doorknob and pushed the door open. Jesse instantly stood up, his eyes fixed on me. "I was waiting for you to get home," he said.
"Yeah, I see," was my reply. I dragged my backpack into my room and dumped it on the bed, then went over to Jesse. "Look, Jesse, I know you wouldn't have wanted me to do this, but I had to...to save you. If I don't, Paul will try to exorcise you...I don't know what I would have done if that had happened," I said. It was more than I meant to say. I felt tears trying to leak through just at the thought of losing Jesse forever.
When I entered the room, Jesse's expression had been stern and serious. But, now, it softened as I finished my last statement. He took a deep breath, then smiled slightly, comfortingly. "What am I going to do with you, Susannah?" I felt the pain inside slowly receding as his gorgous smile eased my nerves. "If Paul comes near me, I can take care of him," he said. I could see a glare of anger as he said Paul's name, but then his smile faded and was replaced by a look of concern. "What we need to worry about now is how to get you out of trouble."
"I can take care of myself, too, Jesse."
"Yes, you can. But, you're used to dealing with ghosts and normal people...not shapeshifters. It's different this time...and I'm not going to lose you at the hands of that monster," he said fiercly. "We need to find a way to get you out of this," he said.
I sighed heavily, not letting the happiness swelling inside me show. Jesse didn't want to lose me...and that fact was just good enough to make my day. Besides, I could already tell that he was going to win this fight. Instead of answering him, I looked away for a few seconds, then looked back up at him. "Yeah, I know, but how? I mean, I promised...how am I going to get out of it?"
"Paul cheats and lies...you cheat and lie...what's the difference between lying to Paul and lying to you mother, for example?" Jesse said.
I glared at him. "Hey, I only lie when I have to, not a daily basis like Paul does."
"No, no, I didn't mean it like that...necessarily," he said defensively. I was going to comment on the way he had said "necessarily", but before I could speak, he continued.
"I know that you only do it when it's important and when you have to." He paused for only a minute to take my face between both of his hands and look at me intently. "And right now, you have to," Jesse said desperately. There something in his voice...something and I couldn't tell exactly what. I could only hope that it was...
I was suddenly aware that my heart-beat had quickened. With my face still trapped in his hands, Jesse was so close...and I realized that he was getting closer. I could feel the warmth of his breath on my face, which, of course, didn't smell like anything what with Jesse's being a ghost and whatnot.
Jesse's lips touched my own and I was instantly in a world of bliss. I melted and impulsively put an arm around him. This was our third kiss and was by far the best one. But, it seems like whenever this happens, there's always something else that we should be thinking about...and the majority of the time, it was a life and death situation that we were supposed to be thinking about. But, all of the bad memories and thoughts were washed away in this one kiss. I still couldn't believe that he loves me and had loved me, even when I thought that he hated me.
Bang! My bedroom door flew open, interrupting our kiss. And noneother than Dopey was standing in the doorway, staring. Oh, God, I must look so stupid right now. I mean, he barges into my room and sees me kissing air. Great, just great!
"I knew I heard you talking to someone! So, this is the guy you've been sneaking in here," Dopey said, staring pointedly at Jesse. My breath caught in my throat. What the heck did he mean by that? He can't see Jesse!
I stared at him and I noticed that Jesse was, too. "Dop...I mean Brad? What are you talking about?" I asked hesitantly.
"What am I talking about? I'm talking about him," Brad said as he walked over to Jesse and picked his shirt at the shoulder. "Dude, your clothes are ancient. What, are you ready for Halloween already?" Brad said, pushing Jesse slightly.
Dopey can see Jesse! Dopey can touch Jesse! But, he's not...he can't be...
Jesse glared at Brad, looking as if he were trying to restrain himself from pushing him back.
"Brad...you can see him?" I asked, still pretty much shocked.
"Well, it's kind of hard to miss him, don't you think?" He answered sourly.
I turned to Jesse. "Um...I think I need to talk to Dopey alone for a minute if you don't mind, Jesse," I said.
Jesse nodded and dematerialized. Brad yelled at the sight and jumped back. "How...how did he do that?!" he yelled in my face.
I flinched and wiped the spit off my face with the back of my sleeve. Brad was still freaking out when I grabbed him by the shoulders to keep him still. "Will you shut up! You're telling me that you can see him, Brad?!"
"You already said that and how did he do that?!" he shouted.
I took a deep breath. I can't believe that I'm about to tell this to Brad of all people. "You wanna know how he did that, Brad? He can do that because he's dead. He's dead. He's a ghost. And since you can see him, that means that you're a mediator," I blurted out all at once.
Brad was standing there, staring at me like I had three heads. I could tell why. He obviously didn't get anything I had just said. Nor did he want to.
"A...ghost?" For a split second, his expression changed. It looked almost like he was scared. But, he quickly regained his fearless-looking expression and laughed. "You've got to be kidding me. If he was a ghost, I wouldn't be able to touch him."
"And if he wasn't, he wouldn't have been able to disappear. You're a mediator, Brad. You're different. You're...you're like me," I said. The tone in my voice sounded as if I was making some great revalation...and I was. This was something I have been trying to hide from the world for years and here I am spilling my guts to someone who I wouldn't especially want to talk to anyways.
He scoffed. "There's no such thing as ghosts. I don't know how that guy just -poofed- like that, but I'm not going to let you just keep bringing him in here. I'm getting dad and mom." He spun around and sailed out of my room.
"Brad! NO!" I raced after him. He was half-way down the stairs when I grabbed him by the back of his shirt and jerked him backward. He fell at the tug and bounced a few steps down. I let go of his shirt and instead clutched the tiny hairs on the back of his neck, knowing it would be painful.
"LET GO OF ME!" He screetched, flailing his arms behind him, desperately trying to hit me or at least loosen my grip. He was failing miserably...and that fact brought a wicked smile to my face along with a strong sense of satisfaction. With my fingers still pinched his hair, I pulled him back up the stairs and dragged him back in my room.
"Listen. Mom can't know about this..." I started, but he interrupted me before I got to finish.
"Oh, and why not?" He demanded, his eyes narrowed threateningly.
I sighed impatiently. "I was -getting- there. If you go and tell them, you'll not only be getting me in trouble...they're going to think you're insane, too. What are you going to say, huh? That you found some guy in my room that no one can see or hear but you and me? I doubt anyone's going to believe you."
A look of realization had come over him. He knew I was right. "But, how do I know that mom or dad can't see him?" he said. I'll admit, it sounded weird hearing him say "mom". No one really calls her that but me.
"If you've heard him, they would have had to have heard him, too, right? So, obviously, they haven't."
"Prove it."
I wanted so badly to just ask him "Brad, why are you so stupid?", but I didn't want to risk making him mad and fleeing the room and going to my mom. Besides, I'm not really sure what she'd think. There's two possibilities. One, she'd merely think that we were both out of our minds. But, two, she might think that something weird really -was- going on here.... I only knew that there was only one thing I could do about it now: keep Dopey's mouth shut.
"I can prove it...as long as you do everything I say," I said hesitantly. I didn't add "and as long as Jesse's okay with it", although I probably should have.
He stood there, apparently considering the idea. I almost laughed at the sight of him thinking. Or looking like he was thinking, at least. "Fine," he said after a few minutes. I nodded.
"Jesse?" I called out to the seemingly room. Just as I anticipated, he materialized behind Brad. Brad turned around and jumped. Instantly, he covered the surprise with a look of extreme dislike.
"Yes?" the ghost said to me, ignoring the dumbfounded guy in front of him.
"Jesse...would you mind doing something for me?" I asked with a slight pleading look in my eyes. I knew he couldn't resist that look.
He smiled. "Sure," he said, ignoring Brad's presence.
"I need you to prove to him," I nodded to Dopey. "that our parents can't see you."
"Okay...what do you want me to do?"
"Just follow me. C'mon, Dop--I mean Brad. Just don't do anything...don't say anything. Just watch, okay?" Brad nodded and with that, I exited the room, followed by Dopey, then Jesse. I trudged down the stairs, then went into the kitchen. My mom was bustling around in there, beginning to cook dinner. "Hey mom," I said brightly, ignoring the fact that Andy, my stepdad was usually the one cooking.
"Oh, hello, Susannah, Brad," she answered, smiling. She then turned her back and continued cooking, not asking who the third person was standing behind Dopey. I shot a look behind me and saw that Dopey had a look on his face that definately fit his nickname. I smirked slightly, then discreetly grabbed Jesse's hand and walked to my mom's side.
"Watcha cookin'?"
"Hamburg. Andy's making cheeseburgers."
"Oh. Smells good. Mind if we get something to drink?" I asked, glancing at Dopey.
"You and Brad? Sure." She turned back to her cooking.
Triumphant, I strode back to Brad and grabbed his arm, bringing him back to the stairs. "See?" I whispered as she once again climbed the stairs. "She didn't even know he was there. Thanks, Jesse," I added to the ghost behind me.
When we were in my room, Brad asked, "Okay, so...you're dead?" he said to Jesse, suspiciously.
"You could put it that way..." he said, matching the look on my stepbrother's face.
"Brad, just -please- don't tell anyone, okay? You don't understand what's happening yet," I said.
"Susannah!" I turned around and opened the bedroom door, hearing the voice calling my name from the bottom of the stairs.
"Yeah, mom!" I called back.
"Someone's here to see you!" she responded.
The first thought that appeared in my mind was Cece. It must be Cece. "Brad...I'll explain later," I said, gesturing him to get out of my room. "And remember, don't tell anyone." I said the last three words like I was talking to a five-year-old.
"Yeah, I got that part already," he snapped. I rolled my eyes as he left the room. I, then, exited after him and went to the front door.
I grasped the doorknob and pushed the door open. Jesse instantly stood up, his eyes fixed on me. "I was waiting for you to get home," he said.
"Yeah, I see," was my reply. I dragged my backpack into my room and dumped it on the bed, then went over to Jesse. "Look, Jesse, I know you wouldn't have wanted me to do this, but I had to...to save you. If I don't, Paul will try to exorcise you...I don't know what I would have done if that had happened," I said. It was more than I meant to say. I felt tears trying to leak through just at the thought of losing Jesse forever.
When I entered the room, Jesse's expression had been stern and serious. But, now, it softened as I finished my last statement. He took a deep breath, then smiled slightly, comfortingly. "What am I going to do with you, Susannah?" I felt the pain inside slowly receding as his gorgous smile eased my nerves. "If Paul comes near me, I can take care of him," he said. I could see a glare of anger as he said Paul's name, but then his smile faded and was replaced by a look of concern. "What we need to worry about now is how to get you out of trouble."
"I can take care of myself, too, Jesse."
"Yes, you can. But, you're used to dealing with ghosts and normal people...not shapeshifters. It's different this time...and I'm not going to lose you at the hands of that monster," he said fiercly. "We need to find a way to get you out of this," he said.
I sighed heavily, not letting the happiness swelling inside me show. Jesse didn't want to lose me...and that fact was just good enough to make my day. Besides, I could already tell that he was going to win this fight. Instead of answering him, I looked away for a few seconds, then looked back up at him. "Yeah, I know, but how? I mean, I promised...how am I going to get out of it?"
"Paul cheats and lies...you cheat and lie...what's the difference between lying to Paul and lying to you mother, for example?" Jesse said.
I glared at him. "Hey, I only lie when I have to, not a daily basis like Paul does."
"No, no, I didn't mean it like that...necessarily," he said defensively. I was going to comment on the way he had said "necessarily", but before I could speak, he continued.
"I know that you only do it when it's important and when you have to." He paused for only a minute to take my face between both of his hands and look at me intently. "And right now, you have to," Jesse said desperately. There something in his voice...something and I couldn't tell exactly what. I could only hope that it was...
I was suddenly aware that my heart-beat had quickened. With my face still trapped in his hands, Jesse was so close...and I realized that he was getting closer. I could feel the warmth of his breath on my face, which, of course, didn't smell like anything what with Jesse's being a ghost and whatnot.
Jesse's lips touched my own and I was instantly in a world of bliss. I melted and impulsively put an arm around him. This was our third kiss and was by far the best one. But, it seems like whenever this happens, there's always something else that we should be thinking about...and the majority of the time, it was a life and death situation that we were supposed to be thinking about. But, all of the bad memories and thoughts were washed away in this one kiss. I still couldn't believe that he loves me and had loved me, even when I thought that he hated me.
Bang! My bedroom door flew open, interrupting our kiss. And noneother than Dopey was standing in the doorway, staring. Oh, God, I must look so stupid right now. I mean, he barges into my room and sees me kissing air. Great, just great!
"I knew I heard you talking to someone! So, this is the guy you've been sneaking in here," Dopey said, staring pointedly at Jesse. My breath caught in my throat. What the heck did he mean by that? He can't see Jesse!
I stared at him and I noticed that Jesse was, too. "Dop...I mean Brad? What are you talking about?" I asked hesitantly.
"What am I talking about? I'm talking about him," Brad said as he walked over to Jesse and picked his shirt at the shoulder. "Dude, your clothes are ancient. What, are you ready for Halloween already?" Brad said, pushing Jesse slightly.
Dopey can see Jesse! Dopey can touch Jesse! But, he's not...he can't be...
Jesse glared at Brad, looking as if he were trying to restrain himself from pushing him back.
"Brad...you can see him?" I asked, still pretty much shocked.
"Well, it's kind of hard to miss him, don't you think?" He answered sourly.
I turned to Jesse. "Um...I think I need to talk to Dopey alone for a minute if you don't mind, Jesse," I said.
Jesse nodded and dematerialized. Brad yelled at the sight and jumped back. "How...how did he do that?!" he yelled in my face.
I flinched and wiped the spit off my face with the back of my sleeve. Brad was still freaking out when I grabbed him by the shoulders to keep him still. "Will you shut up! You're telling me that you can see him, Brad?!"
"You already said that and how did he do that?!" he shouted.
I took a deep breath. I can't believe that I'm about to tell this to Brad of all people. "You wanna know how he did that, Brad? He can do that because he's dead. He's dead. He's a ghost. And since you can see him, that means that you're a mediator," I blurted out all at once.
Brad was standing there, staring at me like I had three heads. I could tell why. He obviously didn't get anything I had just said. Nor did he want to.
"A...ghost?" For a split second, his expression changed. It looked almost like he was scared. But, he quickly regained his fearless-looking expression and laughed. "You've got to be kidding me. If he was a ghost, I wouldn't be able to touch him."
"And if he wasn't, he wouldn't have been able to disappear. You're a mediator, Brad. You're different. You're...you're like me," I said. The tone in my voice sounded as if I was making some great revalation...and I was. This was something I have been trying to hide from the world for years and here I am spilling my guts to someone who I wouldn't especially want to talk to anyways.
He scoffed. "There's no such thing as ghosts. I don't know how that guy just -poofed- like that, but I'm not going to let you just keep bringing him in here. I'm getting dad and mom." He spun around and sailed out of my room.
"Brad! NO!" I raced after him. He was half-way down the stairs when I grabbed him by the back of his shirt and jerked him backward. He fell at the tug and bounced a few steps down. I let go of his shirt and instead clutched the tiny hairs on the back of his neck, knowing it would be painful.
"LET GO OF ME!" He screetched, flailing his arms behind him, desperately trying to hit me or at least loosen my grip. He was failing miserably...and that fact brought a wicked smile to my face along with a strong sense of satisfaction. With my fingers still pinched his hair, I pulled him back up the stairs and dragged him back in my room.
"Listen. Mom can't know about this..." I started, but he interrupted me before I got to finish.
"Oh, and why not?" He demanded, his eyes narrowed threateningly.
I sighed impatiently. "I was -getting- there. If you go and tell them, you'll not only be getting me in trouble...they're going to think you're insane, too. What are you going to say, huh? That you found some guy in my room that no one can see or hear but you and me? I doubt anyone's going to believe you."
A look of realization had come over him. He knew I was right. "But, how do I know that mom or dad can't see him?" he said. I'll admit, it sounded weird hearing him say "mom". No one really calls her that but me.
"If you've heard him, they would have had to have heard him, too, right? So, obviously, they haven't."
"Prove it."
I wanted so badly to just ask him "Brad, why are you so stupid?", but I didn't want to risk making him mad and fleeing the room and going to my mom. Besides, I'm not really sure what she'd think. There's two possibilities. One, she'd merely think that we were both out of our minds. But, two, she might think that something weird really -was- going on here.... I only knew that there was only one thing I could do about it now: keep Dopey's mouth shut.
"I can prove it...as long as you do everything I say," I said hesitantly. I didn't add "and as long as Jesse's okay with it", although I probably should have.
He stood there, apparently considering the idea. I almost laughed at the sight of him thinking. Or looking like he was thinking, at least. "Fine," he said after a few minutes. I nodded.
"Jesse?" I called out to the seemingly room. Just as I anticipated, he materialized behind Brad. Brad turned around and jumped. Instantly, he covered the surprise with a look of extreme dislike.
"Yes?" the ghost said to me, ignoring the dumbfounded guy in front of him.
"Jesse...would you mind doing something for me?" I asked with a slight pleading look in my eyes. I knew he couldn't resist that look.
He smiled. "Sure," he said, ignoring Brad's presence.
"I need you to prove to him," I nodded to Dopey. "that our parents can't see you."
"Okay...what do you want me to do?"
"Just follow me. C'mon, Dop--I mean Brad. Just don't do anything...don't say anything. Just watch, okay?" Brad nodded and with that, I exited the room, followed by Dopey, then Jesse. I trudged down the stairs, then went into the kitchen. My mom was bustling around in there, beginning to cook dinner. "Hey mom," I said brightly, ignoring the fact that Andy, my stepdad was usually the one cooking.
"Oh, hello, Susannah, Brad," she answered, smiling. She then turned her back and continued cooking, not asking who the third person was standing behind Dopey. I shot a look behind me and saw that Dopey had a look on his face that definately fit his nickname. I smirked slightly, then discreetly grabbed Jesse's hand and walked to my mom's side.
"Watcha cookin'?"
"Hamburg. Andy's making cheeseburgers."
"Oh. Smells good. Mind if we get something to drink?" I asked, glancing at Dopey.
"You and Brad? Sure." She turned back to her cooking.
Triumphant, I strode back to Brad and grabbed his arm, bringing him back to the stairs. "See?" I whispered as she once again climbed the stairs. "She didn't even know he was there. Thanks, Jesse," I added to the ghost behind me.
When we were in my room, Brad asked, "Okay, so...you're dead?" he said to Jesse, suspiciously.
"You could put it that way..." he said, matching the look on my stepbrother's face.
"Brad, just -please- don't tell anyone, okay? You don't understand what's happening yet," I said.
"Susannah!" I turned around and opened the bedroom door, hearing the voice calling my name from the bottom of the stairs.
"Yeah, mom!" I called back.
"Someone's here to see you!" she responded.
The first thought that appeared in my mind was Cece. It must be Cece. "Brad...I'll explain later," I said, gesturing him to get out of my room. "And remember, don't tell anyone." I said the last three words like I was talking to a five-year-old.
"Yeah, I got that part already," he snapped. I rolled my eyes as he left the room. I, then, exited after him and went to the front door.